Integrated Radar-Camera Sensor for Synchronized ADAS Data Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) face alignment errors due to differences in field of view and sampling rates between camera and radar sensors, leading to misaligned data when combined.
Innovation Solution
A multi-modality sensor integrating a radar sensor and an image sensor on a single chip, with controlled correspondence in sampling rates, allowing for time-synchronized data alignment and combination of image and radar data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If camera and radar sensors are used separately in ADAS, then each sensor can capture its own data independently, but alignment errors occur due to differences in field of view and sampling rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines camera sensor and radar sensor into a single integrated sensor unit with a shared substrate. The image sensor and RFIC are stacked on the same substrate, enabling synchronized data capture at identical sampling rates and eliminating field of view misalignment between separate sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated sensor unit performs multiple functions simultaneously - both optical imaging (camera function) and electromagnetic wave detection (radar function) are achieved within a single sensor device, allowing unified data capture without alignment errors.
2Loss of time
If separate camera and radar sensors are used, then sampling rate differences can be handled independently, but time synchronization errors occur when combining data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the image sensor and radar sensor (RFIC) onto a single substrate with stacked architecture. This integration ensures both sensors operate at the same sampling rate and are inherently time-synchronized, eliminating time synchronization errors in combined data.
3Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate sensors are used for multi-modality sensing, then sensor functionality is achieved, but manufacturing and assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple sensor functions (camera and radar) into a single manufactured unit with shared substrate and stacked architecture. This reduces the number of separate components that need to be manufactured and assembled, simplifying the overall manufacturing process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The integrated sensor system synchronizes and aligns data from both modalities, reducing alignment errors and enabling precise, synchronized information transmission.
Implementation Method 1
Radar sensors use electromagnetic radiated waves instead of a laser used by the LiDAR sensor. A radar sensor may radiate an electromagnetic wave and measure distance, speed, and direction information of an object based on a received reflection of the electromagnetic wave off of the object.
Implementation Method 2
Camera sensors or infrared sensors may be respectively arranged around a vehicle to capture visual information in a driving direction or other surrounding environments of the vehicle.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B(a)~1B(c)
Figure 2A(a)~2A(b)
AI summary
A method, apparatus, and system with multi-modality sensing are provided. A multi-modality sensor includes a radio detection and ranging (radar) sensor including a radio-frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), and an image sensor, including a sensor array, stacked on a portion of the radar sensor, with at least a circuitry portion of the image.